Roof scaffold



1944- I R. J. BOR'N 2,341,510

ROOF SCAFFOLD Filed'July '22, "1941 Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROOF SCAFFOLD Richard J. Born, Hampton, Va.

1 Application July 22, 1941, Serial No. 403,569

4 Claims.

This invention relates to roof scaffolds oi the type adapted to be supported on a pitched roof.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this type having arms connect-ed intermediate their ends to the upper end of the ladder and adapted to extend above and below the ridge of the roof on the opposite side from the ladder, the upper ends of these arms being connected to the ladder by brace arms, means being provided for adjusting the first-named arms to the slope of any roof for supporting the ladder on a pitched roof of any angle.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a hand rod connected to the upper ends of the arms.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roof scaffold constructed inaccordance with the invention supported on a pitched roof.

Figure 2 is a detail longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the hand rod.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the connecting and adjusting means with the parts disassembled.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, It designates the side rails of a ladder. The means for supporting the ladder on a pitched roof of any angle comprises a pair of arms H and I2 connected at points between their ends to the upper ends of the side rails of the ladder. The connection is established by bolts I8 of octagonal cross section which pass through the arms and extend through the side rails of the ladder. The bolts are provided with screw threaded stems which project beyond the outer sides of the arms and receive wing nuts 2!. The washers 20 are disposed underneath the wing nuts. The bolts [3 positively hold the arms II and I2 against accidental turning movement with relation to the ladder and may be quickly shifted to permit the angular position of the arms to be changed to suit the pitch of the roof. The openings of both the arms and the side rails through which the bolts extend are lined with respective metal sleeves l3 and M having substantially rectangular flanges i5 and it on their inner ends which abut each other and form wear surfaces. The flanges are secured to the side rails of the ladder and to the arms by screws I! or other connectors.

When the wing nuts 2| are tightened the side rails it of the ladder and the arms I! and I2 are drawn snugly together between the heads 59 of the bolts l8 and the washers 20 of the bolts to maintain the desired angular adjustment of the arms.

A hand rail or rod 24 is engaged through openings in the upper ends of the arms H and II. Th rod is provided with flanges Z? and 28 near the ends and the ends are threaded to receive wing nuts 33. When the wing nuts are tightened, the upper ends of the arms I! and I2 and the brace arms 25 and 26 are drawn into snug engagement between the collars 21-28 and wing nuts 33.

Clamps of substantially U-shaped contour are disposed astride of the lower and side faces of the rails of the ladder, as shown best in Figure 3. One leg of each clamp is longer than the other leg and the longer leg overlaps the superposed end of the respective brace arm 25-26. Bolts 39 are passed through the overlapping ends of the clamps and through the brace arms and are equipped with wing nuts 29 to secure the clamps to the lower ends of the arms. A set screw 23 is passed through the short leg of each clamp and engages the respective side rail of the ladder. A space exists between the short leg of the clamp and the rail of the ladder to permit the clamp being slid longitudinally of the side rail of the latter when the set screw 23 is loosened to make the angular inclination of brace arms 25-25 suit the angular inclination of the respective arms I'Il2.

Washers 32 are disposed underneath the wing nuts 29 of the clamps. The washers bear against the respective sides of the brace arms 2526 and prevent wear on the arms when the wing nuts are tightened.

In operation the bolts 18 are removed and the clamps 22 are adjusted on the side rails of the ladder until the slope of the arms I l and I2 correspond to the pitch of the roof at the opposite side of the roof from the ladder. The bolts l8 are then replaced and the wing nuts 2| thereof are tightened to maintain the adjusted position of the ladder supporting arms H and I2 and brace arms 25 and 26.

Not only is the ladder adjustable to any angle or pitch of the roof, but also the ladder is adjustable up and down for working up valleys. For example, as best shown in- Figure 1, the adjusting bolts l8 are interchangeably receivable in openings 34 formed in the side rails IU of the ladder so that when the lower end of the ladder reaches the valley joint the ladder may be adjusted upwardly to extend farther over the ridge of the roof by unloosening the wing nuts 2i and placing the bolts l8 in selected openings 34 so that the ladder is shortened each time it is raised in order to work on up the valley until the top of the valley is reached. The clasps 22 are slid up* and down the ladder when adjustments aremade to shorten the ladder, as will be understood.

Fromthe above'description' it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What isclaimed is:

1. A roof scaffold comprising, a ladder, supporting arms connected intermediate their ends tothe upper ends of the ladder, the connecting means comprising, bolts of octagonal cross section engaged through openings of angular cross sectionin the ladder and in the arms, brace arms pivotally connected at their upper ends to the upper ends of the arms, and clamps adjustablymounted on the ladder and securing the lower ends of the brace arms to the ladder.

2. A roof scaffold comprising, a ladder adapted to rest on a pitched roof, a pair of arms adjustably secured between their ends to the sides and adjacent the upper end of the ladder, said adjustment adapted to lock the arms laterally relative to the ladder and parallel to the plane of the pitch of the roof remote from the ladder supporting side of the roof, a pair of brace arms slidably secured to the ladder and extending with their free extremities adjacent the upwardly directed ends of the arms, a hand rod disposed horizontally of the arms and securing the brace arms to the first-named arms, and locking means on the ladder adapted to slidably adjust the brace arms to brace the arms at various pre-arranged angles of the arms.

3. A roof scaffold comprising, a ladder, a pair of substantially U-shaped clamps longitudinally adjustable on the sides of the ladder, a pair of brace arms adjustably connected to the clamps having transverse openings adjacent their upwardly directed free ends, a pair of ladder supporting arms adjustably connected between their ends to the ladder and having transverse openings; adjacent their upwardly extending ends, and a hand rod extending at its ends through the openings of the brace arms and through the openings in the ladder supporting arms.

4. A roof scaffold, comprising a ladder adapted to rest on a pitched roof, a pair of arms intermediately adjustably secured to the upper end of the sides of the ladder, brace arms pivotally connected at their upper ends to the upper ends of the intermediately adjustable arms, and U- shaped clamps adjustably connected to the lower ends of the brace arms and embracing the side rails of the ladder below their upper ends, and thumb bolts for locking the U-shaped clamps to the side rails of the ladder.

RICHARD J. BORN. 

